Boxoffice (Jul-Sep 1947)

ST. LOUIS pjarold Harris, a partner in the Edwards & Harris circuit at Farmington, has made a fine recovery following his recent operation in a Kansas City hospital and has returned to his home . . . Harry Miller, Festus exhibitor, has returned home following a successful operation for the removal of a cataract from one of his eyes. Mrs. Cecil Gladney of Elsberry, Mo., is recovering at her home following an emergency appendectomy performed at Washington, D. C., recently. She went to the capital to witness the graduation of one of her sons from his university, but missed out on that important affair. She is a sister of Congressman Cannon, who represents the northeastern section of Missouri in the house of representatives. The family operates the 400-seat Orpheum in Elsberry. Out-of-town exhibitors seen along Filmrow included Tom Edwards, Edwards & Harris circuit, Farmington, Mo.; Ed Clark, Mattoon, 111.; Herman Tanner, Pana, 111.; Jimmy Frisina, Frisina Amusement Co., Springfield, 111.; Johnny Giachetto, short subjects buyer, Frisina, and Rini Padrucci, feature booker for that circuit, both of Springfield, 111. MGM’s “Song of Love” was tradeshown at the S’Renco screening room July 25, while “The Unfinished Dance” was shown July 28. Warner Bros, screened “Deep Valley” at S’Renco July 29 . . . Curtis Mitchell, Paramount’s advertising and publicity director, spent last week with his mother in Mexico, Mo. Henry Halloway has broken ground for the drive-in he plans to operate on U.S, Highway No. 40, west of his Gem Theatre at St. John’s Station, St. Louis county. He does not contemplate opening it until early next year, it is understood . . . “Duel in the Sun” moved over to Loew’s Orpheum after two weeks at Loew’s State . . . “Dear Ruth” is in its eighth big week at the St. Louis Theatre. Tilden Dickson, exhibitor of Crystal City and St. Clair, Mo., is en route to Phoenix, Ariz., to join his wife. Mrs. Dickson spends most of her time in Phoenix because of a respiratory condition . . . A. M. Avery of Memphis was here to check into ground clearing operations for the new 750-machine drive-in being constructed on Sappington road and Highway 66 in the southern part of St. Louis county for Flexer Drive-In Theatres, Inc., of Memphis. His son, A1 Avery jr., probably will manage the local house, due to open about August 21. 'The elder Avery went from here to Minneapolis, where the Flexer interests are also building a drive-in. Clarence D. Hill, Columbia manager, and his salesmen and bookers received their checks covering second prize money in the annual sales personnel bonus drive. Competing against such towns as Cincinnati, Cleveland and Pittsburgh, “C.D.” and his gang almost took first place for the third year in a row. Considering that each year their particular quot^,dias been larger because of past performances, their showing this year was a real accomplishment. C. H. Weeks jr. of Dexter, Mo., has sold the 280-seat Weeks Theatre in Bernie, Mo. The new owner took over this week . . . Lester Kropp, manager of the Mel^# vacationed near LestervUle, Mo., with his wife and daughter . . . Jack Mullaney of Mullaney Bros., operators of the Ricky, Mattoon, 111., was among visitors to Filmrow. Another was James F. Willard, field representative of Strong Electric Co., Toledo . . . Emil Bebermeyer resigned his bank position in Centralia. Mo., to devote entire time to the operation of the 350-seat Vista Theatre there. The World Theatre is playing “Gaslight Follies,” a Film Classics picture, together with a film that shows shots of some 100 stars of yesteryear . . . Betty Dietz, daughter of Andy Dietz, local Screen Guild franchiseholder, has experienced a painful two weeks following the extraction of an impacted wisdom tooth . . . Justus Garard of Warsaw, 111., has been forced to postpone the opening of his new 450-seat quonset theatre there to about September 1. He also operates the 300-seat Royal in Warsaw, the 500-seat Woodbine in Carthage, and 300-seat New Dallas in Dallas City. Caesar Berutt and H. Wandel have broken O S o Why is MANLEY the LEADER ot Ait Popcorn Machines? Because theie's LASTING SATISFACTION in owning a O 8 o A. T. ROWE DIVISION MANAGER 1920 Wyandotte. Phone: HArrison 6155, Kansas City, Mo. 1611 Davenport. Omaha, Neb. — 3138 Olive. St. Louis. Mo. 812-824 Mulberry St., Des Moines. Iowa ground on their new 500-seat quonset type theatre in Sullivan, Mo., where they operate the 500-seat Meramec . . . Bill Sherman and his PRC squad continue to set the pace in the Harry Thomas Sales drive, scheduled to run for 18 weeks. New Haven and Kansas City are the closest competitors in their group. Charley Conrad, Monogram salesman, took in a family reunion picnic at Clipper Rock, Pa., while on his vacation, from which he has just returned. En route back to St. Louis he stopped off in Columbus, Ohio, to visit his mother . . . Barney Rosenthal and his sales staff are leaders in their division for Monogram’s 16th anniversary drive, in fact the latest compilations showed St. Louis on top for both volume of sales and billings. Kerasotes Bros, of Springfield, 111., have closed a deal for the first run showing in the Illinois capital of “Black Gold,” Allied Artists production . . . Barney Rosenthal returned from the Oklahoma City convention of Allied Artists and Monogram quite enthusiastic about the future prospects of the companies. FMW Closes Sluff House During Summer Months JACKSONVILLE, ILL.— The 520-seat Maestic, a unit of the Fox Midwest Theatres, has been closed for the summer months. It will reopen in September, B. M. Montee, city manager for the circuit, announced. Fox Midwest also operates the 1,155-seat Illinois and 500-seat Time theatres here. The Majestic was remodeled last year, reopening on September 28 with a policy of reviving “proven hits” of previous years. That policy will be continued when the house reopens in September. Together in *A Thousand Eyes' John Alexander and Edward G. Robinson, appearing in Paramount’s “Night Has a TTrousand Eyes,” will be together again for the first time in 34 years. From the BOXOFFICE FILES (Twenty Years Ago) BILLION-DOLLAR business is in the balance, opines David F. Barrett, St. Louis correspondent for the Reel Journal, who reports the Skouras Bros, experiment in bringing Herbert Rawlinson to the Ambassador as a matinee-idol touch to the stage shows of the big downtown picture palace. This move has been suggested by the success of Brooke Johns in a similar role at the Missouri Theatre. While Johns takes a vacation for a month it will be seen if the crowds flock to the Ambassador. The answer may be reflected in the rental prices for films in 1929 and 1930, says Barrett. Construction will be started within the next week or ten days on Harry Redmon’s new $500,000 Majestic Theatre in east St. Louis. Wreckers are busy demolishing the old building on the site of the new theatre . . . Howard Price Kingsmore, who has been replaced by Harry Greenman as manager of Loew’s State in St. Louis, has been transferred to Memphis to operate the five Loew theatres there . . . Loew’s State in St. Louis has installed a thermometer in front of the theatre which shows the temperature inside as well as outside the theatre. )|c Skouras Bros, and Harry Kopler have closed a deal whereby they take over the management and control of the new theatre baing built by Rupert Levine at Gravois avenue and Ellenwood in St. Louis. 68 BOXOFFICE :: August 2, 1947